A super-sized nachos recipe for Super Bowl 2012

Karen Miner is the Food & Home Editor for SheKnows. She is a freelance writer, recipe developer and is also the cook, author and photographer behind the food blog, Tasty Trials, a collection of original recipes and stories. She and her h...

Step away from the cheese sauce!

Nachos are a staple at any Super Bowl party, but who wants to eat cheese that you pour out of a can? With a little extra effort, you can wow your guests with these super-sized, gourmet chicken nachos and nobody will miss the cheese.

You still have some of the standard nacho toppings here, but they're jazzed up to put these nachos over the top. Hot pepper relish, spice-rubbed chicken and a radish salad with cilantro and mint give this dish tons of flavor.

Spicy chicken nachos with hot pepper relish recipe

Yields 16

Ingredients:

16 (4-inch wide) corn tortillas

Canola oil

Salt

Sour cream

For chicken:

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons coriander

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon chile powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Canola oil

For hot pepper relish:

2 teaspoons canola oil

3 tablespoons diced yellow onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 poblano pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 tablespoon lime juice

For radish salad:

1/3 cup sliced radishes

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped mint

Directions:

Heat canola oil in a large pan.

Fry tortillas in oil until crispy.

Remove from oil, drain on paper towels and season with salt.

For chicken:

Combine all spices in a small bowl.

Pound out chicken to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Coat both sides of chicken with a drizzle of canola oil; then coat with spice mixture, pressing to adhere.

Heat a few teaspoons of canola oil in a large pan. When pan is hot, cook chicken for two to three minutes per side.

Remove from pan. When cool enough to handle, slice chicken into small pieces.

For hot pepper relish:

Heat canola oil in a small saucepan.

Add onions and sauté over medium heat until soft, about four to five minutes.

Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds.

Add peppers, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for about three minutes, until peppers are just starting to soften.